Swedish Meatballs | just like Ikea

For a while, Ikea meatballs were a regular in the freezer and a quick dinner on nights I couldn’t think of what else to do. It made such a simple dinner AND they sell little packets of gravy so it’s so stinking simple!

I haven’t talked about it a lot, but there are twelve allergies in my family. TWELVE. Some are normal (hazelnuts) and some are weird (yeast) but all make for weird cooking patterns. If you notice on this blog, I tend to cook dinners that are healthy, dairy free or dairy light, and filled with good ingredients. The reason is simple, we can’t eat out a lot.

Ikea meatballs contain yeast, a nutritional yeast that boosts the flavor - vegans use it all the time to replace cheese - it’s totally normal, unless you have an allergy. So we had to scrap the freezer full of meatballs and if we wanted them, I need to make them myself.

Obviously, I’m cool with that. I love the challenge of making things myself. So here they are! My hot tip for them is to bake until they get a little crispy on the edges. I love that little crunch and I know you will too!

If you throw a pan of little chopped potatoes into the oven at the same time, then you have a dinner on the table in literally half an hour. I’ve done mashed potatoes too - but really the key is any kind of a potato. Oh, and the lingonberries. You can’t skip the lingonberries - buy a jar at Ikea and keep it on the shelf.

Swedish Meatballs

serves 4

1 pound ground pork

1 pound ground beef

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/2 onion, grated

1 clove garlic

1 egg, beaten

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon oregano

1 cup water

salt & pepper

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a mixing bowl combine all of the ingredients and stir to combine. I use my hands because that’s easier, but some people are grossed out by that.

STEP 2

Form the meat into balls. I use a scoop to get the right size, then make them look nicer with my hands. If your hands are damp, the meat won’t stick to you.

STEP 3

Pop the meatballs in the oven and bake 15-20 minutes until cooked through. Serve with potatoes, lingonberries, and a vegetable.